In the Blink of An Eye
by princessphilomena
Summary: Riddled with guilt over being unable to protect his own girlfriend and burning with a vengeance towards the woman who took it all away, bitter black coffee, he finds, is his only companion in his broken world. T&T Spoilers!
1. Chapter 1

"Ah…thank you, Kitten." Diego took the cup that Mia handed to him.

"I don't see how you can drink so much coffee…just what is it that's so great about it?"

He took a sip. "Lots of sugar and cream- just the way I like it." He put an arm around Mia's shoulders and answered her question. "It kind of reminds me of you, Kitten. Sweet, rich and good 'til the last drop."

Mia rolled her eyes. "You should start heading to the cafeteria. This could be your only shot at getting some information from Dahlia Hawthorne," she said grimly.

"Don't worry about it, Kitten. We know she's a liar, so once we eliminate the impossible, whatever remains must be the truth, no matter how improbable it may seem."

Mia eyed him skeptically. "Aren't you being a little too relaxed about this? After all, she was the one who walked away from Terry Fawles' suicide smirking and 'innocent.' You're about to go talk with this sly demoness and you're _smiling?_"

"A lawyer is someone who smiles no matter how bad it gets. It would do good for you to remember that, Kitten."

With that, he kissed her on the cheek and got up in one swift movement.

"I'll pick you up for dinner at 7 tonight, then."

"Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise, Kitten. You'll see."

At the doorway of the office, he turned around. "Let's see that lawyer of smile of yours again, Kitten."

"Why?"

He gave her a flashy grin. "It makes me miss you less when you're not with me."

She rolled her eyes and humored him.

Later on, she would be glad that she did.


	2. Chapter 2

Diego pushed through the crowds of the courtroom cafeteria, finally spotting Dahlia's umbrella.

"Ms. Hawthorne." Diego sat down across the table from her, placing his coffee mug and files in front of him.

"Mr. Armando! How nice it is to see you again," she tilted her head to the side and smiled sweetly at him. "I don't suppose you called me here for a cup of coffee."

"To meet with such a pretty lady like you, Ms. Hawthorne, I do wish that this could have been a social visit."

"I should have guessed that the police would show some interest in me. I would assume that you want to know something about my stepsister and my deceased boyfriend," she was still smiling, but her eyes were now giving off a dangerous glint.

Diego chuckled. "Clever _and_ beautiful, aren't you, Ms. Hawthorne? A wonderful combination for a lady, but only when the intentions are righteous. And if coupled with honesty, even better."

"What are you insinuating, Mr. Armando?" she looked at him innocently. "Are you suggesting that I am a liar?"

"No matter the man, we all wear masks…either on our faces or over our hearts."

They locked eyes for a moment before Diego glanced away to look at her necklace.

"That pendant of yours is quite charming. Yet somehow, I think I've seen it before," he said, his smile growing dangerous.

Dahlia realized his recognition of her necklace. "They're quite popular these days. A lot of girls like to keep their favourite perfume inside," she counteracted lightly.

_She's good,_ Diego thought. _Caught in her own mistake and she's still smiling like she won the lottery. It's going to take a while to crack her._

"Do you think I could have a closer look? Maybe I'll get one for my girlfriend," he smiled, his tone light, but his gaze piercing.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Armando. But the clasp is quite difficult." Her tone sounded sincere enough, but her eyes were glaring dangerously at the man she was battling wits with.

Sensing that they were at an impasse, Diego took a drink from his mug and flipped open the cover of his file.

"In that case, Ms. Hawthorne, would you mind telling me again how you met Mr. Terry Fawles?"

Suddenly, a passerby bumped into Dahlia, causing her umbrella to swipe across the table and knock the case file to the floor, sending the papers flying.

The passerby apologized and began helping Diego pick up the papers.

"Where were we?" Diego asked when he had finally managed to collect all the loose sheets.

"I believe we were talking about Terry," she replied calmly.

"Ah, yes." Diego took another drink of his coffee. "So how did you first meet Terry Faw-" he broke off into a violent fit of coughing and when he took his hand away, it was covered in blood.

His body tensed when he realized what had just happened.

"You poisoned my coffee!" he spluttered, pointing an accusing finer at her.

"Mr. Armando! What just happened?" she asked dramatically, for the sake of anyone within earshot.

He collapsed on the table.

"I will get my revenge," he snarled.

She leaned closer so only he could hear. "So tell me, Mr. Armando, how does a dead man get his revenge?"

Dahlia laughed at the sight of Diego Armando dying and left the courtroom cafeteria.

As his eyes closed, Diego Armando whispered those five words again.

"I will get…my revenge…"


	3. Chapter 3

5 Years Later

Dr. Lavernne stumbled into the hospital, fifteen minutes late as usual. She knew it didn't really matter- the patient she checked on first every morning had been in a comatose state for five years.

She began running the usual tests, sipping a cup of coffee. Doctors were not allowed to consume food or drinks in a patient's room, but with hers in a coma, who would really know?

She had set down her cup of coffee and was checking the patient's heart rate when his eyes flew open.

"Coffee," he stated, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Dr. Lavernne jumped and nearly knocked down her cup of coffee in shock.

"Sir! You're awake! Do you remember what your name is?" She had recovered slightly from her surprise and was running the required tests.

"Mia!" the man suddenly shouted.

The doctor was quite flustered. "No, sir. Uh…that's not your name," she stammered.

"I know who I am," Diego replied quietly. "But tell me, doctor, what happened to me?"

"I hope you can stay calm," Dr. Lavernne said uncertainly. "You were poisoned and fell into a coma on August 27th…five years ago."

Diego took this fact surprisingly calmly. "Doctor…what do I look like? Am I completely unrecognizable after five years of sleeping?"

She bit her lip. "It's nothing too awful…but your hair turned white."

"Oh…I wonder what Mia will think about that," he muttered to himself.

"I should go report this to administration. I'll come back to check on you soon." Dr. Lavernne started heading out of the room.

"Doctor, one more question… Why can't I see?"

"You…can't see?" Her voice sounded strained.

"I can see that it's brighter when I open my eyes and I can make out a few silhouettes of darker objects, but otherwise, I can't really see anything else."

There was a pause.

"This is only temporary, right, doctor?"

Flustered, she stammered the only response she could muster. "I…I think so."


	4. Chapter 4

Diego's next few days in the hospital were busy with various doctors running one test after another on him. He attempted to argue against them, desperately wanting to leave the confines of the hospital, but they assured him that the faster they ran the tests, the earlier he would be able to leave the hospital. Only when it was late at night and the lights were off and the hospital quiet did Diego finally have some time alone.

He seldom slept, spending most of his nights sitting on his bed with his eyes closed, his thoughts often drifting to Mia. Though there was little difference between having his eyes opened or closed, Diego always found it easier to picture Mia with them closed. He longed to see her again, yet at the same time, he was afraid of the changes she might have undergone in the past five years.

_There's a very high chance that she has another boyfriend…maybe she's even married._

_No! Mia's not the type to do that! Maybe she's just not visiting because the office is extremely busy._

_Imagine everything she probably suffered during the past five years. Would she really have waited that long for you?_

…_Yes. I know Mia…she wouldn't give up on me so easily. _

* * *

Dr. Lavernne arrived at Diego's room early the next morning. She dragged a chair beside his bed and sat down.

"Mr. Armando…I have some good news and some bad news." She sounded nervous.

He nodded grimly, still troubled over the prospect of seeing Mia again.

"Well, first of all, you can be discharged from the hospital today. The results from all those tests came in and it seems that you're basically healthy…except…your vision problem isn't temporary."

It took a moment for that to sink in.

"You mean…I'm blind?" His tone grew enraged. "You said you thought it was momentary! So now I have to live the rest of my life without being able to see?!"

"I'm really sorry, Mr. Armando…I thought it was just a brief side effect from your coma." He could hear from her tone that she was cringing. "But there still might be a way you can see," she added in a small voice.

He took a deep breath to regain his composure. "I'm very sorry for losing my temper, doctor. I shouldn't have reacted like that. After all, a man has to hold his head up high no matter how bad things get," he chuckled darkly.

"It's alright," she responded sympathetically. "It's only natural that you would react like that. But I know an optometrist who specializes in cases like these. He might be able to help you. The only problem is that he has a very long waiting list."

Diego nodded slowly. "I believe I have a few things I wish to attend to first."

* * *

Author Notes: I realize the Diego might be _really_ OOC. Sorry . It was really hard to imagine him in such a desperate situation since we always see him as the cool, confident, collected guy who is in control. Anyways, please review!


	5. Chapter 5

Diego arrived at the entrance of Grossberg Law Offices by taxicab. His ego had suffered a severe beating since he left the hospital. The doctor had given him a walking cane, and though he hated to admit it, Diego realized that he could not get around without it.

As he hesitated on the pavement, he felt unexpectedly vulnerable and slightly humiliated for the first time in his life. He, Diego Armando, was stumbling around with the aid of a cane like a disabled person. He couldn't see the faces of the people on the street, but he felt exposed as if he had been stripped naked and thrown on stage with the light of the spotlight in his eyes, blinding him.

"Welcome to Grossberg Law Offices. How can I help you?" a secretarial woman's voice asked him when he had stepped inside.

He strode forward, tapping his cane warily in front of him.

"I'm looking for a friend of mine. I don't know if she still works here."

Diego heard the secretary click her computer mouse several times.

"It's okay. We have records. What is your friend's name?"

"Mia Fey."

"Mia…Fey?" the woman repeated slowly. She had stopped clicking her mouse and Diego could hear the skepticism in her voice.

"Ms. Fey is…gone. She was murdered a year ago."

Time stood still for a moment as the shock and despair sank in. Diego's mind suddenly flashed back to the Terry Fawles case, seeing Mia cry beside him. He remembered the way he had crushed his coffee mug, slicing open his hand.

Now it felt like it was happening again, a thousand times over, slicing up his heart and his soul.

Mia…Mia…No! This can't be true…

_Stop! The only time a lawyer can cry is when it's all over._

_It _is_ all over. I have no one left. I'm absolutely alone now._

_Which means you have nothing left to lose. But the person responsible for this will pay. As will Dahlia Hawthorne…_

_Dahlia Hawthorne._

The memory of the name caused a surge of hatred to wash over Diego. He gripped his cane dangerously tightly and growled angrily, "You will pay for this, Dahlia Hawthorne."

With that, he exited the office, leaving the secretary startled and speechless.

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you all for your reviews! I'll try to fix all the grammatical errors as soon as I have time (thanks to Smart Aleckette for pointing them out )

One more chapter after this!


	6. Chapter 6

"Dr. Lavernne, I want that optometrist's address," Diego had almost instantly returned to the hospital.

Dr. Lavernne was a little surprised at the authoritative tone in his voice. Diego Armando had somehow changed over the past few hours. What had happened?

"I'll have to go and get it. Can I get you anything to drink on the way?"

"Coffee…with plenty of sugar and cream."

Dr. Lavernne shifted uncomfortably, unhappy to be the bringer of bad news once again.

"Mr. Armando…I don't think you should drink coffee. I think it would too much for your body and eyesight to handle."

"Then take out the cream and sugar."

The doctor, sensing Diego's impatience, relented.

She returned with a cup of black coffee for him. He nearly spat out the first mouthful. But as he forced himself to swallow it, he felt a certain serenity, somehow making peace with the bitter black coffee.

No one could understand the deep, black pit that was his life now. But he somehow felt that his life was reflected in the coffee's swirling black and bitter depths.

"Blacker that a moonless night, hotter and more bitter than hell itself…that is coffee," he mused aloud.

_I'm just as bitter as this coffee,_ he realized to himself. _Maybe I've finally found my companion in this brutal, cruel, merciless world._

He chuckled bitterly.

Dr. Lavernne glanced at him worriedly, finally speaking. "Mr. Armando…did something happen when you left the hospital? You somehow seem…different."

He felt the pain rise in his chest again, this time laced with anger and hatred.

"I wake up after five years in a coma unable to see a thing. But I accept that," he said bitterly, more to himself than the doctor.

"Then…I find out that she's gone. My reason for living, the core of my existence. Gone. Just like that. And I was the one who failed to protect her."

Dr. Lavernne gently put a hand on his shoulder. "Maybe this was just how it was meant to be. It was out of your control that you were unable to save her."

"The weak get washed away by the tides of fate…the strong drink it up. I refuse to have my destiny control me. I will make those responsible pay for their deeds," he snarled.

"Mr. Armando…please. Don't do anything drastic. Don't try to serve justice by breaking the law."

"I have nothing left to lose. And the police wouldn't have anyone to catch. I believe the official records say that I am a dead man. I don't even know who I am anymore." He paused for a moment, calming down, contemplating.

"But I won't break the law. That would only disappoint Mia…wherever she is now."

Dr. Lavernne inwardly breathed in a sigh of relief.

"Mr. Armando-"

"Please don't call me that, doctor," he said quietly. "Diego Armando ceased to exist the day his Kitten died."

In his mind, he was already plotting, calculating, planning how to punish Dahlia for everything she had stripped him of through his coma. He could feel the rage burning inside him, the bitterness at Mia's death and the hatred towards whoever had failed to protect her.

* * *

The second time he left the hospital that day, he felt much more of a purpose in his step. For now, he had a reason to live- to make Dahlia Hawthorne suffer for her sins.

And the first step to that was getting his vision back.

"I wish to make an appointment with the eye doctor here."

The secretary sounded tired of hearing the same request time after time. " I hope you realize that there's a 47 people waiting list."

"I'm willing to wait," he responded calmly. "But do you think I could see him a little faster if I paid double the normal fee?"

The woman sounded flustered. "I'll have to ask…but I don't think it'll be a problem."

"Very good, then," he turned on his heel to exit the office.

"Sir! Please wait! I didn't get your name!"

He paused at the doorway for a moment, his unseeing eyes seeming even more distant than usual.

"Godot.

My name is Godot."

* * *

Author's Notes: I know...that was a bad ending. But we all know what happens to him after.

And yes, I know. I failed to capture that element of bitterness and despair I wanted...

Oh well, maybe next time :D

Thank you all for taking the time to read this! (and leave reviews!) I love you all!

I nearly forgot...I think I realized the reason for my lack of descriptions. Although I wrote the story in third person, I was subconsciously writing from Diego's perspective. And seeing that he's practically blind, the world from his perspective was...well...just dark, basically. Thus, the lack of description. Ta-dah! XD


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